To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on (a) sponsoring newspaper or publication supplements and (b) funding advertorials in newspapers or publications in the latest year for which figures are available; and what the topic was of each publication. (129453)

The extent to which my Department sponsors newspaper or publication supplements and/or advertorials is restricted to the Armed Forces recruiting organisations:

Naval Service

12 advertorials were placed across the following magazines:

‘Loaded’; ‘Nuts’; ‘Glamour’; and ‘Cosmopolitan’. They were an integral part of the Royal Navy's recruit marketing strategy and were designed to illustrate what life is like for typical serving personnel. The total cost was £128,000.

Army

Double page spreads and full page advertorials were placed in the following publications:

‘Bella’ (2 editions); ‘Best’ (2); ‘Chat’ (2); ‘Take a Break’ (2); ‘That’s Life’ (2); ‘Woman’s Own’ (2); ‘Hello’; ‘OK’; ‘Max Power’; and ‘Nuts’. Each featured an interview with an infantry soldier and a ‘Gatekeeper' and focused on the benefit of the career, how it changed the soldier for the better and the pride felt by the family. Key facts on an infantry career and a call to action were also included. The total cost was £254,000.

RAF

Advertorials were placed in the following publications:

‘FHM’ (2 editions); ‘More’ (2); ‘Nuts’ (2); ‘Zoo’ (2); ‘Bliss’; ‘B Mag’; ‘Company’; ‘Glamour’; ‘Loaded’; ‘Maxim’; and ‘Men’s Health’. Each featured a male or female case study. The total cost was £111,000.